Down the Green Ramp

Stepped off the cold bathroom scale and plodded out through the cracked screen door into the yard. A corrugated green plastic splash block was wedged in the damp turf beneath the drainpipe. A faded yellow tennis ball sat stuck in the clover right beside it. Unhurried, I shoved my snout against the damp felt and rolled it up the incline. Climbed up behind it and gave the ball one blunt shove with my heel. Clatter-rattle-thud. It rumbled down the ribbed channels, launched off the curved lip, and rolled dead into a patch of dandelions. *Sigh.* Didn't chase it. I just sat on the plastic grooves and watched.